1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for ascending and descending trees for deer hunting and the like, and more particularly, to a tree climbing apparatus characterized by a portable tree climbing platform and a cooperating foot platform, both of which engage a tree for supporting a hunter on the tree, with the climbing platform located above the foot platform. The hunter alternately stands on the foot platform and lifts and secures the climbing platform on the tree and then sits on the climbing platform to lift and secure the foot platform, in order to gradually work his or her way up the tree. Both the climbing platform and foot platform are fitted on the front end of each with tree-engaging members, or blades, for engagement and disengagement with the tree. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the rear ends of a cable adjusting guide bar and a cable retention guide bar, respectively, are pivotally attached to the rear end of each platform, on opposite sides thereof. The front ends of the pivoting cable adjusting guide bar and cable retention guide bar are slidably mounted for lateral and medial displacement on opposite sides of the corresponding platform, at the front end thereof. In a preferred embodiment, one end of a support cable is connected to a sliding adjusting handle on the cable adjusting guide bar and the opposite end of the cable is extended around the tree above the tree-engaging members, respectively, and is removably secured on the cable retention guide bar of the corresponding platform. In another embodiment, a bicycle-type support chain is connected to the adjusting handle on the cable adjusting guide bar and the opposite end of the chain is extended around the tree and removably secured to the cable retention guide bar. The adjusting handle is moved rearwardly on each platform and locked in place to tighten the cable or chain around the tree and support the corresponding platform on the tree at a selected height. As the cable or chain is tightened around the tree by operation of the handle, the front ends of the pivoting cable adjusting and cable retention guide bars, respectively, slide inwardly on the frame according to the tree diameter to automatically adjust for the size of the tree and tighten the cable or chain around the tree. Each platform is caused to ascend or descend the tree, as desired, by tilting the rear end of the secured platform upwardly, thereby disengaging the tree-engaging blades and support cable or chain from the tree; raising or lowering the platform on the tree; and then lowering the rear end of the platform to again engage the tree-engaging blades and support cable or chain with the tree at the selected height. As each platform is caused to ascend the tree, the corresponding adjusting handle is moved rearwardly on the platform to tighten the cable or chain around the tree according to the decreasing tree diameter. Conversely, as each platform is caused to descend the tree, the adjusting handle is periodically moved forwardly on the platform to loosen the cable or chain around the tree according to the increasing tree diameter. The climbing platform and foot platform of this invention are light in weight and easy to manipulate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various tree and pole climbing apparatuses and climbing deer stands and gun platforms, in particular, are known in the prior art. Typical of these platforms is the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,765 to Clarence E. Ferguson, et al. This climbing apparatus includes a hand climber which is attached to a tree or pole at a point above the user and is used in cooperation with a support platform carried by the user's feet, with the user pulling himself and the support platform up the tree or pole while grasping the hand climber and subsequently supporting himself on the support platform while manipulating the hand climber higher on the tree or pole. A similar pole climbing apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,995 to Frank Fonte, which apparatus includes a pair of platforms, one of which supports the feet of a user and the other positioned essentially about the waist of the user, both of which platforms engage the tree or pole to be climbed. The upper platform is initially used to support the weight of the user and the lower platform is pulled upwardly while the user's weight is supported by the upper platform, to facilitate moving up and down the pole or tree. Yet another climbing apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,022 to Joseph W. Ming. The Ming tree climbing stand is built of rigid sheet material and includes a pair of tubular runners secured to either side of the stand and having a treecontacting end fitted with a V-notch in the center. As in the case of the Ferguson stand, this climbing platform is fitted with a mechanism for inserting the feet, and climbing is accomplished by grasping the tree, pulling the platform upwardly with the legs and subsequently using the platform to support the legs while the user facilitates another grip higher on the tree. Descent is accomplished by reversing this climbing procedure. Yet another climbing platform is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,332 to H. W. Brantly. The deer stand of this patent includes a U-shaped bracing element constructed in such a manner as to have a concave inner surface rest against the front of a tree; a clamping bar which can be connected to the legs of the U-shaped bracing element at the rear of the tree; a platform supported by the U-shaped bracing element and clamping bar; and braces extending downwardly at an angle from the platform, which braces engage the trunk of the tree at a point below the U-shaped bracing element. Other climbing tree stands are detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,489, dated Dec. 25, 1956, to Hagadorn; U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,459, dated Jan. 31, 1984, to Peck; U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,633, dated Oct. 29, 1985, to Merritt; U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,473, dated Jul. 1, 1986, to Peck; U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,447, dated Feb. 23, 1988, to Gibson, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,504, dated Feb. 25, 1992, to Amacker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,925 dated Mar. 24, 1992, to Walker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,390, dated Jan. 18, 1994, to Phillips; U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,967, dated May 17, 1994 to Kennedy; U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,063, dated Jul. 26, 1994, to Amacker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,738, dated Jan. 7, 1997, to Hunt, et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,036, dated Jan. 24, 1997, to Maxwell; U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,789, dated Jul. 1, 1997, to Maxwell; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,464, dated Jul. 7, 1998, to Gardner. None of the devices disclosed in those patents includes a mechanism for automatically tightening a platform support cable around a tree having a given diameter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,505, dated Jul. 13, 1993, to Donald R. Woller, et al, details a "Portable Climbing Platform" characterized by a pair of pivoting arms provided on opposite sides of a frame, the front ends of which arms are spanned by a pair of tree-engaging blades adjustably joined to each other. The front ends of the arms can be displaced laterally or medially, and the blades adjusted with respect to each other, to accommodate a tree having a given diameter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,076, dated Aug. 10, 1993, to Robert L. Louk, details a "Tree Stand", including a climbing platform for supporting a hunter on a tree and a foot platform for engaging the tree beneath the climbing platform. A folding support on each side of each frame can be pivoted between horizontal and vertical positions, and a flexible steel cable extends from one support around the tree and is removably fastened to the other support to secure the corresponding platform on the tree. The supports pivot on the platform to conform the loop width of the cable with a tree having a given diameter.
Many of the prior art climbing platforms, and portable climbing stands in particular, suffer from the disadvantages of being relatively complicated and sometimes heavy, which are severe disadvantages to a hunter, who must depend upon mobility in order to assure access to the areas frequented by wild game such as deer. Furthermore, some of the prior art devices, while light in weight, are not structurally sound and are insufficiently large for relative positioning of the hunter and many do not include sufficient safety features which are necessary for the average hunter.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved tree climbing apparatus which is characterized by a high degree of safety, ease of manipulation and transportation and facilitates great comfort and multiple position capability for the user when in position on a tree or pole.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved portable climbing platform which can be quickly and easily transported to a desired hunting area and removably attached and automatically adjusted to a tree or pole and a cooperating foot platform removably attached to the tree or pole beneath the climbing platform, wherein the user alternately stands on the foot platform and lifts and secures the climbing platform and then sits on the climbing platform to lift and secure the foot platform in order to work his or her way up and down the tree or pole.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an efficient tree climbing apparatus having a climbing platform and cooperating foot platform, which climbing platform and foot platform are each characterized by a generally rectangular-shaped frame for supporting a hunter while the hunter ascends a tree or pole, a V-shaped blade or engaging bar provided on the frame for cooperative engagement with the tree, and a cable extending around the tree above the blade and through self-adjusting guide members to provide self-adjusting, safe and firm support of the climbing platform and foot platform on the tree.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a tree climbing platform having a pair of pivotally-mounted cable guide bars and a cooperating foot platform, which are each amenable to easy and efficient manipulation in order to facilitate repetitive adjustment in the attitude and height of the two platforms on a tree.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved tree climbing platform and cooperating foot platform which are each characterized by a frame having a tree-engaging blade or bar provided on the front end of the frame for engaging a tree; a pivoting cable adjusting guide bar, the front end of which is slidably mounted for lateral and medial displacement on one side of the corresponding platform at the front end thereof; a pivoting cable retention guide bar, the front end of which is slidably mounted for lateral and medial displacement on the other side of the corresponding platform at the front end thereof; and a support cable or bicycle-type support chain having one end attached to a cable adjusting handle slidably and adjustably mounted on the cable adjusting guide bar. The other end of the cable or chain is extended around the tree and removably attached to the cable retention guide bar and the cable or chain is tightened by means of the cable-adjusting handle to support the user at a selected height on the tree as the tightening cable or chain slides the front ends of the pivoting cable adjusting and cable retention guide bars inwardly on the corresponding frame, to tighten the cable or chain around a tree having a given diameter.
Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable tree climbing apparatus including a climbing platform and foot platform which cooperate to facilitate multiple selected sitting and standing positions for a user, both facing a tree or pole and facing away from the tree or pole, which foot support platform supports the user in the standing positions and which climbing platform supports the user in one of several sitting positions.